IDW to team up Legion of Super-Heroes, Star Trek

From IDW Publishing

July 21, 2011

Star Trek® and the Legion of
Superheroes Pair Up in July

The 23rd century and the 30th century collide in
IDW’s first-ever crossover with DC Comics’ Super Heroes

San Diego, CA (July 21, 2011) – The original Starship Enterprise has traveled across time and space on its five-year mission, but it will be entering the DC Universe for the first time this summer. IDW Publishing is proud to announce its first-ever crossover with DC Comics’ Super Heroes in STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES, a six-issue monthly series beginning in October 2011.

STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES tells the tale of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise, who beam down to a planet only to discover that the planet isn’t their intended destination, or even in the right universe. At the same time, a group of “Great Darkness Saga” Legionnaires inside a time sphere find themselves cast into the 23rd century, but it’s not the 23rd century as they know it, either. STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES is a galaxy-spanning adventure that draws both teams together to face a menace that includes Khunds, Klingons, Borg, and other threats that aren’t quite as they should be. The egalitarian United Planets in one universe and a United Federation of Planets in another is now the Imperial Planets of Terra, a dark empire focused on war and conquest, and that’s just the beginning for this special series.

“Nothing like kicking off our first foray into the DC Universe with a story that spans dimensions and centuries,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief and the lead editor on this crossover. “As a huge fan of both of these teams and the eras we’re playing with here, as well as an admirer of the talents involved with this tale, I couldn’t be happier.”

Weaving these disparate universes and characters into a dark, foreboding and mysterious saga is Eisner-nominated writer Chris Roberson (iZombie, Superman), with art by Jeffrey and Philip Moy, both of whom have tackled the Legion and Star Trek in other forms. Phil Jimenez, will provide covers for the entire series, while each issue will also feature variant covers from classic Legion of Superheroes artists such as Keith Giffen, Steve Lightle, and Mike Grell, as well as IDW mainstay and Best Artist Eisner-nominee Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key) and others.

“We’re thrilled to be joining such iconic characters together in an exciting adventure that spans space and time,” said Bob Harras, DC Comics Editor-in-Chief.

The STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES series also offers a note of nostalgia for DC Comics and Star Trek, as that publisher produced the popular sci-fi comics under both the DC Comics banner in the ‘80s and the Wildstorm banner in the ‘90s. Now, under IDW’s auspices, both the 23rd and the 30th centuries might never be the same after this new series is complete.

“Chris Roberson, who’s incredibly knowledgeable about both series, managed to not only weave both teams together into a clever story, but he also found a way to tie both universes together through a shared villain that fans will never expect to see,” added Ryall. “And the Moys bring a sense of dynamism and energy to not only the characters we know but also in the designs for some special merged-universe characters, too. Add to that the chance to work with guys I greatly admire on the series’ covers and you’ve really got the makings of something special here. I’m really happy that DC has been such a welcoming partner on the crazy things we’re going to do here.”

Star Trek is licensed by CBS Consumer Products.

STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #1 (of 6, $3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in comic stores in October 2011.

® & © 2011 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.

Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.idwpublishing.com/"IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

Same here. And one thing I remember is how drab the Trek crew looked next to the X-Men, or how ridiculous the X-Men looked compared to the more conventionally dressed Trek crew, depending on your POV. This extended to the idea of super-powers; either you found the X-Men over-the-top and implausible, or you found the Trek crew superfluous. I just thought of it as oil and water and a bad idea.

But Trek and LSH seem like a natural fit. The Legionnaires will still be more gaudily dressed and enormously more powerful, but they are from 800 years farther in the future than ST:TOS so it almost makes sense. I'm guessing the LSH will be awed by these legends of the past, like they always are with Superman, which will be more gratifying than the sneer with which Wolverine met them.

Replies

Cavaliere (moderator emeritus) July 22, 2011 at 3:48pm

How exciting!

I wonder how this will be released digitally. IDW is one of the few big publishers that doesn't use ComiXology. Whether it is the DC app or the IDW app, I will certainly be buying this story.
Lee Houston, Junior July 22, 2011 at 10:35pm

I agree with Mark, and am also happy to see that they are (apparently, based on the cover image) using the classic version of Trek and not the recent movie relaunch.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) July 22, 2011 at 10:37pm

I am so, SO there.
Philip Portelli July 22, 2011 at 10:59pm

I'm there yesterday!!!

The mind literally boogles! Spock debates logic with Brainiac 5. Kirk hits on Shadow Lass (Green chick, Blue chick, what's the diff? This is Kirk we're talking about!)

As for villains, the M-5 Computer and Computo or Mordru and Trelane or the Sun-Eater and the Planet-Eater! Command Kid and Harry Mudd!

It goes on and on: Ronn Karr, Cyrano Jones, RJ Brande, Sarek, Proty II and.....Tribbles!!!

But the Enterprise has to go back in time and meet Superboy while the Legion hunts down Gary Seven!
Captain Comics July 22, 2011 at 11:07pm

This is such an obvious -- and fun -- crossover, you wonder why it hasn't happened before. I seem to remember the Enterprise crews meeting the X-Men, but meh. This is awesome to the tenth power.
Cavaliere (moderator emeritus) July 23, 2011 at 12:08am

The previous crossover was the crew of the Enterprise-E meeting the X-Men. For Picard's crew, it was immediately followed the events of Star Trek: First Contact. The crossover was done as a novel and a comicbook. All I really remember is that the crossing of dimensions happened when the Enterprise was trying to return to its own time after the defeat of the Borg and the launch of Zephram Cochrane's first warp drive ship.
Philip Portelli July 23, 2011 at 12:29am

Actually that was the second X-Men/Star Trek team-up. The first involved the first crew set in the TV era and they battled Gary Mitchell and Proteus. There was the meeting of the Beast and Bones with both answering to "Doctor McCoy" and Kirk hitting on Jean Grey (of course) and the Imperial Guard's Gladiator punching the Enterprise!
Cavaliere (moderator emeritus) July 23, 2011 at 9:55am

Thanks, Phillip! It's been a lo-o-o-ng time since I read those.
Captain Comics July 23, 2011 at 10:20am

Same here. And one thing I remember is how drab the Trek crew looked next to the X-Men, or how ridiculous the X-Men looked compared to the more conventionally dressed Trek crew, depending on your POV. This extended to the idea of super-powers; either you found the X-Men over-the-top and implausible, or you found the Trek crew superfluous. I just thought of it as oil and water and a bad idea.

But Trek and LSH seem like a natural fit. The Legionnaires will still be more gaudily dressed and enormously more powerful, but they are from 800 years farther in the future than ST:TOS so it almost makes sense. I'm guessing the LSH will be awed by these legends of the past, like they always are with Superman, which will be more gratifying than the sneer with which Wolverine met them.
Lee Houston, Junior July 23, 2011 at 10:35am

The X-men/Star Trek team ups only occurred because Marvel had the Paramount license at the time, which makes you wonder why DC wasn't allowed to do such things when they had the license?

It would have been real easy for DC to do a Star Trek/Legion crossover then without needing a third party (IDW) involved.

With that said, I wonder if the Guardian of Forever will play a part in the proceedings?

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